Out of Order. - book reviews

National Review, March 7, 1994 by Geoffrey Morris

Out of Order, by Thomas E. Patterson (Knopf, 301 pp., $23)

DOES America spend too much time selecting its President?

Has the press turned the precess into a media charade? Syracuse University professor Thomas Patterson thinks so. Things started to go wrong in 1968, he says, when Democratic leaders selected Hubert Humphrey over Eugene McCarthy, despite Humphrey's unpopularity. Party rank and file in turn demanded reform that would give more weight to their vote. But instead of giving power to the voters, Mr. Patterson contends the reforms gave it to the media. The result is months of horse-race prophecies and scandals, while policy proclamations go unheard. Therefore, Mr. Patterson recommends that the nominating drill be shortened, and that networks provide more unfiltered airtime for candidates. Aside from reasonable electoral prescriptions, Out of Order is mostly about the distortion of our political process by a maniacally irresponsible press. There's good research and interesting insights--for instance, Mr. Patterson compares questions asked by citizens at candidate forums with questions asked by reporters at news conferences, and finds the amateurs more sagacious. Since 1968 (well before, actually), there has been an explosion of media outlets. Consequently there is more coverage--so the voter today is likely more informed, and he sees and hears more from candidates themselves than ever before. He also sees more nonsense, which is what concerns Mr. Patterson.